Winding machine



Oct. 6, 1931, R VSWANSQN- 1,826,265

WINDING MACHINE Filed July 11. 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Get, 6, 1931.

E. R. SWANSQN 1,826,265

WINDING MACHINE Filed July 11, 1930 Z Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ERNEST R. SWANSON, OF CRANSTDN, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 UNIVERSAL WIND- ING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A, CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS WINDING Application filed July 11,

This invention relates to improvements in winding machines and particularly to socalled surfaccor drum-driven winders in which the cop, cone or package is rotated by peripheral contact with a drive-roll or drmn.

A principal object of the invention is to provide means for preventing the rotation of the cop, cone or package in a direction opposite to that in which it is normally driven by the drive-roll after it has been removed from driving contact therewith.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide detent-means which operate automatically to prevent the reverse turning of the cop or package after it has been removed from driving contact with the drive-roll or drum should the end of the yarn be caught on the roll or other going part of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide detent-means carried on the windingspindle for engaging suitable slots in the coptuhe or yarn-receiver to prevent the reverse rotation of the cop or package when it is raised off from the drive-roll or drum, which detent-means is automatically released from the slots immediately the package is again placed in contact with the roll or drum.

Another object of the invention is to provide detent-means of the type specified which has the further function of holding the coptuhe or yarn-receiver in place longitudinally of the winding-spindle during the winding of a package and which is operated automatically when the winding-spindle is swung into dofling position to release the tube or receiver whereby to )ermit the package to be doffed from and a fresh tube placed on the spindle.

Further objects of .the improvement are set forth in the following specification which describes a preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated by the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. l is a view illustrating the essential elements of a winding machine with the present invention applied to use therewith and showing the cop-tube or yarn-receiver in peripheral contact with the drive-roll by which it is driven;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the coptube or yarn-receiver raised away from the MACHINE 1930. Serial No. 467,302.

drive-roll and locked in engagement with the detent-means tohold it from reverse rotation after the winding operation has been arrested;

Fig. 3 is a view of the cop-tube or yarn-receiver shown as mounted on the windingspindle and released from engagement with the detent-means to permit it to rotate on the spindle while being held longitudinally thereof;

Fig. 4 is similar view showin the cop-tube or yarn-receiver engaged wit 1 the detentmeans to prevent its rotation;

Fig. 5 is a view showing the winding-spindle tilted or rocked on its pivot to dolling position and illustrating the detent-means as released from the cop-tube to permit dofiing of the package;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged side view of a portion of the finding-spindle showing the cop-tube or yarn-receiver in place thereon and illus- {rating the manner of locking the latter from turning after its removal from the drive-roll and Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the detent-latch which acts to hold the coptube or yarn-receiver in place longitudinally of the winding-spindle and also to lock the latter against reverse rotation.

In winding machines of the surfaceor drum-driven type the cop, cone or other form of package is rotated by contact of its surface with a continuously driven drive-roll or drum, and to arrest the winding the package is lifted or otherwise moved bodily away from the drive-roll.

It frequently occurs in the operation of machines of the type specified that when the yarn breaks its end is caught on the driveroll, the roll-shaft, or some other going part of the machine and wound thereon to pull it off from the package by rotating the latter after it has been lifted out of contact with the drum or drive-roll. In such event a considerable amount of yarn may be wound off from the package, causing waste of the material and usually obstructing or clogging the proper operation of the machine. For example, the yarn may be Wound back from the package onto the drive-roll to build up a ridge or bunch which prevents the roper contact of the package with the sur ace of the roll when the winding is again started unless the waste yarn is removed from the roll. Occurrences of this sort interfere with the proper operation of the machine, requiring more attention on the part of the operator and reducing the output or productive capacity of the winder. To avoid such conditions the present invention provides a novel and ingenious means for preventing reverse rotation of the cop-tube so that when the end of the yarn or other strand is caught on a moving part it will be broken rather than drawn oil from the package and wasted.

Referring to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2 the reference numeral 2 designates the cylindrical drum or drive-roll of the machine which is carried on and rotated from a continuously-driven shaft 3. The windingspindle 5 is arranged opposite the drive-roll 2, being usually hinged to the end of a swinging arm 6, as at 11, to adapt it to recede from the roll as the winding increases in diameter. A spring-member 13 secured to the arm 6 is provided with a V-shaped finger 14 adapted to snap into a notch 15 at the shank end of the spindle 5 whereby to hold the latter 'in parallel relation to the drive-roll or drum 2. In the present illustration of the invention the winding mechanism is shown as adapted for winding conical cops or packages and for this purpose a frusto-conically shaped tube or yarn-receiver X is applied to the windingspindle 5.

The cone-tube X as herein shown is bored axially at w to adapt it to be mounted on bushings or rollers 7 rotatably journaled on the spindle 5. One of the rollers 7 abuts a shoulder 8 at the shank end of the spindle 5 and a separating sleeve 9 spaces the other roller 7 outwardly therefrom where it is held in place by a collar or washer 10. The larger or base end of the cone-tube X is counter-bored at c to adapt it to receive the enlarged shank of the spindle 5, with the shoulder 8 serving as an abutment to hold the tube from axial movement in this direction. The counterbore 0 in the tube X is undercut at 0 to provide an imvardly-directed annular flange f having a plurality of slots 8 extending radially through the rim of the tube at this end. The cop-tube or yarn-receiver X may be constructed of any suitable material such as wood, fiber or the like, and preferably its surface is scored with annular grooves g for holding the coils of winding from slipping out of place. The larger or base end of the tube X is usually provided with a wider peripheral groove or concavity e for receiving a few turns of the first end of the strand which may be later unwound for splicing to another cop or package.

It is the general practice in winding machines of the present type to provide a winding-spindle which extends clear through the bore of the cop-tube or yarn-receiver with latching-means at its forward end for holding the cop-tube longitudinally in place thereon. The present invention contemplates the use of an improved latching-device, to be later-described, which is located at the rear or shank end of the spindle and adapted to be automatically operated to engage the tube when the spindle is carried into operative position and to release the tube when the spindle is swung on its pivot 11 into dofling position.

Any suitable means may be provided for traversing the yarn longitudinally of the winding-spindle 5 to deposit it on the package in helical coils extending from .end to end thereof in the usual manner of a cross-wind. As herein shown, a thread-guide 16 is slidably mounted on horizontal tracks or ways 17 and 18 and reciprocated by a helical cam 11). The thread-guide 1G is formed with a suitable slot or groove 20 through which the strand of yarn y or other material feeds, and at its lower end it carries a roller or bowl 21 engaging the helical groove 22 in the periphcry of the cam 19. The cam 19 is supported and driven from a continuously rotating shaft 23 shown in Fig. 1.

The flat shank end of the winding-spindle 5, is formed with a pair of opposite parallel ribs 25 projecting laterally therefrom. Pivoted on a pin 26 extending between the ribs 25 is a pawl or latch 30, shown in detail in Fig. 7. The latch 30 may be constructed from a flat piece of sheet-metal with ears Z31 bent or or folded at right-angles to its main portion which is bowed slightly. The cars 31 have alining holes 32 through which the pin 26 extends whereby to pivot the latch 30 between the ribs 25. The rearward edges of the cars 31 are inclined at an angle to the main portion of the latch to provide cam-faces 33 adapted to be engaged by the end or finger 14 of the spring-member 13 as the spindle 5 is rocked on its pivot into dolfing position as shown in Fig. 5. The engagement of the spring 13 with the canrfaces acts to swing the opposite end of the latch inwardly in the manner and for the purpose as later ex plained.

The free end of the latch 30 is bent outwardly in substantially perpendicular relation to its main portion to provide a hooked finger 34, one side of which is provided with a lip or detent 35 formed with a beveled side 36. The linger 34 on the latch 30 is adapted to be received in the recess or groove 0 at the end of the cop-tube X to act against the flange 7 of secure the tube longitudinally in place on the spindle 5 during the winding operation, and to be automatically withdrawn from the groove as the cam-faces 33 strike against the end of the spring 13 during the outward movement of the spindle to dofling position.

Referring to Figs. 3, 4 and 5 of the drawings, the latch 30 is rocked into operative position to engage its hooked end with the tube X under the action of a plunger 38 slidable in a bore 39 in the shank of the spindle. The plunger 38 is urged outwardly by a helical spring 40 pocketed in the bore 39, it being noted that the latch 30 is limited in its movement under the action of the plunger by a stop-pin 41 extending between the ribs 25 on the spindle 5. The method of operation of the complete device is as next explained.

To prepare the machine for winding a package the cop-tube or yarn-receiver X is placed on the spindle 5 with its bore engaging the rollers or bushings 7 while the spindle is raised away from the drive-roll 2 on its arm 6 and swung on its pivot 11 to the position shown in Fig. 5. It will be seen by reference to this latter view that when the spindle 5 is thus swung outwardly the V-shaped end 14 of the spring 13 engages with the inclined cam-faces 33 on the latch 30 to swing the forward end thereof inwardly against the action of the plunger 38. The cop-tube X can then be slid along the spindle 5 until the inner side of its counter-bore c abuts the shoulder 8 on the spindle with the detent-iinger 34 on the end of the latch 30 entering the enlarged counterbore c in position to engage with the annular flange f.

The spindle 5 is now swung forwardly into the position shown in Figs. 3 and 4 causing the end of the spring 13 to be released from the cam-faces 33 on the latch 30 whereby the spring-plunger 38 will swing the latch outwardly from the side of the spindle to engage its detent-linger 34 in back of the annular flange f at the end of the tube X. \Vith the detent-finger 34 thus positioned within the groove 0 at the rear of the flange f the cop-tube X is held longitudinally in place on the spindle while being free to rotate on the rollers 7. As the spindle 5 is swung into operative position as shown in Figs. 3 and 4 the end of the spring 13 will ride across the end of its shank to engage its finger 14 with the V-shaped notch 15 whereby to hold the spindle in parallel relation to the axis of the drive-roll or drum 2.

. For winding conical package the spindle 5 is inclined downwardly toward its outer end as illustrated in Fig. 2 and consequently the cop-tube X will have a tendency to slide down the incline to bring the slots 8 at its end into position to be engaged by the detent 35 on the latch 30. 'lherefore, any tendency to retate the tube X in a direction opposite to that in which it is normally driven will cause the detcnt-lip 35 to enter one of the slots 8 to prevent such reverse turning of the tube.

The end of the strand of yarn y is fastened to the cop-tube X by winding it in the groove 0 at its base end, and to start the winding the spindle 5 is lowered on the arm 6 to place the surface of the tube in contact with the drum or drive-roll 2. When the periphery of the cop-tube makes contact with the surface of the drive-r0112 as shown in Fig. 1 the pressure of the tube on the roll will have a tendency to slide the tube to the right whereby to release the slotted flange f from the detentlip 35 on the latch 30, see F i 5 In any event, immediately the tube X starts to retate in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1 through its contact with the drum 2, the beveled detent-lip 35 will ride out of the slot .8 in which it is engaged and thereafter the tube will be free to turn without restraint. That is to say, the lip 35 will be cammed out of the slot 8 by the wedging action against its beveled side.

The weight of the arm 6 and other parts connected thereto exerts sufficient pressure to maintain a frictional driving contact between the surface of the tube X, or the yarn mass wound 'thereon, and the periphery of the drive-roll 2, and this pressure tends to slide the tube in the direction of its larger end to maintain the end of its bore 0 bearing against the shoulder 8 on thespindle 5, as shown in Figs. 1 and3, with the detent-lip 35 on" the latch 30 free of the slots 8 in the end of the tube. As the cop-tube X is caused to be retated from the drive-r0112 it winds on the yarn and the strand ;1 will be picked up in the groove or slot 20 in the reciprocating threadguide 16 to be traversed byf'the guide in the manner as beforeexplained.

Suitable instrumentalities, not herein shown, are usually provided for automatically arresting the operation of thewinding machine when the strand breaksor itssupply is exhausted. Such means operate to raise the spindle 5 to lift the cop or package olf from the drum or drive-roll 2 to interrupt the driving contact. When this action occurs and the spindle 5 is lifted into a )osition as illustrated in Fig. 2, the cop-tube will slide down the incline of the spindle to cause the flange f to bear against the detent-lip 35 on the latch 30 as the tube comes to rest. Now, should the end of the strand 3 become caught on the drive-roll 2 or its shaft 3, or tangled in any other going part of the machine, the detentlip 35 on the latch 30 will engage one of the slots 8 to prevent the tube from turning under the pull on the strand. For example, should the end of the strand be wound onto the periphery of the roll 2 or about the shaft 3 it cannot be drawn back to unwind it from the package, due to the fact that the tube X is restrained from turning in a reverse direction by the engagement of the detent 35 with one of the slots 8 in its end. The caught end of the strand will therefore be broken so that the yarn will not be pulled off from the package and wasted. I urthermore, the yarn cannot be wound back on the drive-roll 2 to build up a ridge which will prevent the package from properly contacting with the roll when it is desired to again start the winding operation.

When the winding operation is arrested by raising the package from contact with the drive-roll 2, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the spindle 5 may be swung outwardly on its pivot 11 to dofling position illustrated in Fig. 5. Under thisaction the V-shaped finger ll of the spring 13 will ride out of the notch 15 in the shank of the spindle 5 and come to rest at the side thereof to yieldably hold thespindle in this position. As the spindle 5 is thus swung outwardly to dofiing position the end 14 of the spring 18 strikes the ram-faces 33 on the end of the latch 30 whereby to rock the forward or detent end of the latter inwardly against the pressure of the spring-plunger 38. This movement of the latch 30 disengages its detent-finger 34 from the groove 0 in the coptuhe X to release the latch from the annular flange The tube X may then be doffed or removed from the spindle 5 by sliding it off therefrom and an empty cop-tube or yarnreceiver placed in position, in the manner as previously explained, to )repare the machine for winding another pac 'age.

It will be observed from the foregoing that the present invention provides an improvement in the art by preventing accidental or unwarranted unwinding of the material from the package being wound to cause waste and hinder or prevent the proper operation of the machine when the winding is again started. The improvement not only provides against wasting the yarn or other material, but-also conserves the time of the operator which would be spent in unwinding or pulling off the waste yarn coiled about the drive-roll or entangled in other parts of the machine. The invention thus eliminates one source of loss of production on the winder and its use results in important economies in the operation of machines of the type specified.

As an added feature of improvement, the latching-device is automatically operated by instrumentalities usually provided on winding machines so that the invention may be applied to machines of the present type with out material change in their structure. Through the automatic operation of the latch the full package may be easily dolled from the spindle by one hand and replaced by an empty cop-tube with the other hand. This feature constitutes an improvement over machines of previous types having manuallyoperated latches at the outer end of the winding-spindles for holding the cop-tubes in place by providing for greater ease and speed of operation and thereby increasing the productive capacity of the machine.

As still another feature of improvement, in the present invention the cop-tube is held in place by means engaging its rearward end so that it is not required that the windingspindle project through its forward end, thus eliminating any chance of the yarn catching on or wrapping around this end of the spindle.

While the improved device is hereinshown and illustrated as embodied in a preferred form of construction, the structure and arrangement of its parts are susceptible of mod ification without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Iherefore, without limiting myself in this respect, I claim:

1. In a winding machine, the combination of a cop-tube having an annular rim with a radial slot extending therethrough, means for rotatively supporting the cop-tube, means for rotating the cop-tube in a predetermined direction to wind strand-material thereon, and means engageable with the slot in the rim of the cop-tube when its rotation is arrested to prevent it from turning in a direction reverse to normal.

2. In a winding machine, the combination of a cop-tube having a radial slot in its rim, means for rotatively supportin the cop-tube, means for rotating the cop-tube in a predetermined direction to wind strand-material thereon, and a detent-latch having a beveled portion adapted to engage the slot in the rim of the cop-tube when its rotation is arrested to prevent it from turning in a direction opposite to normal, said latch being automatically disengaged from the notch when the cop-tube is started to rotate in the normal direction.

3. In a winding machine, the combination of a cop-tube formed with an inwardly directed annular flange at one end having a radially disposed slot therein, means for rotatively supporting the cop-tube, means for rotating the cop-tube in a predetermined direction to wind strand-material thereon, and a detent-latch having means normally maintained behind the flange on the cop-tube and adapted to engage the slot therein when the rotation of the tube is arrested to prevent it from turning in a direction opposite to normal.

4. In a winding machine, the combination of a cop-tube having a recess at one end with an inwardly-directed annular flange formed with a radial slot, a spindle for rotatively supporting the cop-tube, means for rotating the cop-tube in a predetermined direction on the spindle to wind strand-material thereon, and a latch having a hooked end normally engaging behind the flange on the tube to hold the latter in place longitudinally on the spindle and provided with means adapted to engage the slot in the flange when the tube is slid to a slight extent along the spindle whereby to restrain it from rotating in a direction opposite to normal.

5. In a winding machine, the combination of a frusto-conical cop-tube formed with an inwardly directed annular flange at its end rovided with a radial slot, an inclined winding-spindle for rotatively supporting the coptube, means for rotating the tube on the spindle to wind strzmd-material thereon, a latch formed with a hooked end adapted to engage behind the annular flange on the tube to hold the latter longitudinally ofthe spindle, and a detent-lip on said latch adapted to engage the slot in the annular flange on the tube when the rotation of the latter is arrested and the tube slid axially down the incline of the spindle under the action of gravity.

6. In a winding machine, the combination of a. winding-spindle, a cop-tube bored to receive the winding-spindle and provided with a counter-bore at its end forming'au inwardly-directed annular flange provided with a radial slot, a pivoted latch extending substantially parallel to the axis of the spindle and provided with a hooked end adapted to engage behind the annular flange on the cop-tube to hold the latter longitudinally in place on the spindle, resilient means for swinging the latch into position to engage its end behind the flange on the cop-tube, and a beveled lip on the flange adapted to engage the slot in the flange when the cop is slid axially of the spindle to prevent the tube from rotating in a direction opposite to normal,

said beveled lip being disengaged from the slot when the tube is rotated in its normal direction.

7. In a winding machine, the combination of a winding-spindle, a cop-tube bored to receive the spindle to adapt it to rotate the-res on and having an annular rim provided with a radial slot, means to rotate the tube to wind strand-material thereon, a latch having a beveled lip adapted to engage the slot in the annular rim of the cop-tube when the rotation of the latter is arrested to prevent it from turning in one direction and to be cammed out of said slot to release the tube when the latter is rotated in the opposite direction.

8. In a winding machine, the combination of a winding-spindle, means for pivotally supporting the spindle at its end to adapt it to be swung into position to facilitate dofling the cop therefrom, a cop-tube rotatable on the. spindle and formed with a counterbore at its end having an inwardly-directed annular flange provided with a radial slot, a latch pivotally supported adjacent the spindle and provided with a hooked end adapted to engage behind the annular flange on the coptube to hold the latter in place longitudinally of the spindle, said latch formed with a detent adapted to engage in the slot in the fla nge of the tube to hold the latter from reverse rotation, and means operating on the latch when the spindle is swung into dolflng position to disengage it from behind the flange on the tube whereby to allow the latter to be removed from the spindle.

9. In a winding machine, the combination of a support, a winding-spindle having a shank pivoted to said support to adapt the spindle to be swung into position to facilitate dofling the cop therefrom, a cop-tube rotatable on th'espindle and provided with a recessed end with an inwardly-directed annular flange, a latch pivoted adjacent the spindle and formed with a hook-like end adapted to engage behind the annular flange on the tube to hold the latter in place longitudinally of the spindle, and means for looking the spindle from turning on its pivot, said locking-means adapted to engage the latch to rock the latter to release its hooked end :t'rom the cop-tube when the spindle is swung on its pivot whereby to allow the removal of the cop therefrom.

10. In a winding machine, the combinationof a support, a winding-spindle having a shank pivoted to said support and formed at its end with a notch, locking means adapted to engage the notch in the end of the shank of the spindle to hold the latter in operative position, a cop-tube rotatable on the spindle and provided with an inwardlydirected annular flange at its end, a latch pivoted adjacent the'spindle and adapted to engage behind the flange on the cop-tube to hold the latter in place longitudinally of the spindle, resilient means for swinging the latch into position to engage it with the flangeon the cop-tube, and means on the latch adapted to be engaged by the lockingmeans when the spindle is swung on its pivot whereby to release the latch from the coptuhe to allow the latter to' be removed from the spindle,

11. In a winding machine, the combination of a support, a winding-spindle pivoted to said support to adapt it to bev swung into position to facilitate dofling the cop or package therefrom, a latch pivoted at the side of the winding-spindle and provided with a hooked end having a beveled lip at it's side, a cop-tube rotatable on the spindle and formed with a recessed end having an inwardly directed annular flange provided with a radial slot adapted to be engaged by the lip on the latch to prevent the tube from rotating, a spring for rocking the latch to cause it to engage in back of the flange on the cop-tube when the spindle is swung in one direction, and means for rocking the latch to release it from the flange on the coptube when the spindle is swung in the opposite direction.

-12. In a winding machine, the combination of a support, a winding-spindle pivoted to said support at one end to adapt it to swing into position to facilitate dolling the package therefrom, locking-means engaging the spindle to prevent it from swinging on its pivot, a latch pivoted at the side of the spindle and formed with a hook at one end and a cam-face at its opposite end, a coptube rotatable on the spindle and formed with a recessed end having an inwardlydirected annular flange, a spring for swinging the latch to cause its hook to engage behind the flange on the cop-tube, and means engaging the cam-face on the latch to rock the latter to release its hook from the flange on the cop-tube When the spindle is swung on its pivot.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

ERNEST R. SW'ANSON. 

